TSW ~ E.W. King: Ancient Antiochene Christian Kabbalah ~ TSW

Ancient Antiochene Christian Kabbalah

The Ancient Antiochene Church of God

By Presbyter Eric William King

November 20^th 2024

Note: This understanding of ancient Kabbalah is not contaminated by false “New Age” teachings and Western teachings which have corrupted original Kabbalah. This is ancient Christian Kabbalah and does not teach pagan doctrines such as reincarnation and or the transmigration of the soul. This Kabbalah upholds original more orthodox doctrines of true Christianity. E.W. King is the founder of “The Shepherds Way” and the “Nugget of Truth”.

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Today many who have delved into “mysticisms” have perhaps discovered the topic of Kabbalah. Many “New Age” schools of thought teach their own form of the sacred doctrines of Kabbalah. So, what is Kabbalah? Ask different people, get different answers. The facts are where we should start. As many of you know who have studied here for some time that my background contains many years & hours of study into things that I do not recommend others to study without proper guidance. One of these topics is Kabbalah.

By God’s grace I have been connected to some good teachers and ancient records regarding this topic. Though these records are also somewhat vague, it at least gives us an authentic upper-hand on the subject. First off, todays Christians will be told by most all Bible students and pastors to stay away from the subject of Kabbalah. They will call it false “Jewish mysticism” or “pagan” doctrine. Much of this is true due to what Kabbalah has become over the last 500 years.

Like anything else, certain teachings start out “original” and throughout time they get subtracted from or added to. The end result is 1000 views on the same subject. So, I can only tell you my version from an Ancient Antiochene Christian perspective. If you have different views, at least you may find this interesting. Let us start with the fact that ancient Kabbalah did not teach the doctrine of reincarnation. The teachings of Kabbalah stem from Messianic Judaism in origin – traditional Jews do not nor did they anciently ever believe in reincarnation.

Though Kabbalah originated with Judaism, the structure of Kabbalah comes from a much earlier tradition. It was some time in the second century A.D. that Jewish mysticism began. It started popularly with the Merkavah and Hekhalot mysteries. The concepts of these mysteries were known before they became truly structured. They had been handed down through the Melchizedek Order [an ancient Priory] - many of the deeper mysteries being protected going all the way back to the pre-Adamic Earth. Ancient teachers of the Kabbalah claim that the true teachings were protected in the original Garden of Eden. Adam was able to secure the teachings by the grace of God. The teachings are esoterically found in God’s word, Sola Scriptura.

Also, the true teachings of Kabbalah are not connected to pagan gods nor are pagan gods to be used as architypes or images of attributes of the One True God. So, there is no “paganism” in the original Kabbalah. Modern occultists have also attached Tarot cards to the teachings of Kabbalah. The teachings of Kabbalah have gotten mixed into and up with every subject that you might imagine. So let me now give you the somewhat simplistic figures or symbols of true Ancient Antiochene Christian Kabbalah.

All early Kabbalah was “Christian”, which is to say Messianic. It teaches the restoration of the “perfect man”, the “second Adam”. It teaches of the “restoration” of all things from “sin”. These are certainly Christian themes. Kabbalah even teaches the Trinity and, for spiritual focus, the law of “triple conjunction”. Though Kabbalah did not exist during the time of the early Pharisees it agrees more with these ancient deep thinkers known as the Pharisees who actually believed in a real “spiritual realm” [super-material realm]. The Sadducees, however, are like todays Christians who have really stopped believing in the “spiritual” aspects and “miracles” of Christianity but instead opt for the philosophical and psychological approach. It is no longer “cool” to believe in a literal view of the Bible – it takes too much faith.

As many of you know who study here, we use the Seven Laws of Biblical Hermeneutics when studying and understanding the Bible. Thus, our interpretation of Scripture is quite consistent. When we use Kabbalah to help us understand a structure of Christian theology we are going into a deeper “spiritual” understanding of our faith. Of course, this means a more apophatic and some-what more subjective approach on some issues. The proof of these teachings, how they help gain a closer relationship with Divine Intelligence, can only be realized in the individual’s life who appropriates what he or she learns and experiences through faith.

Ancient Antiochene Christian Kabbalah is for the Christian student who wants to go deeper into the mysteries of the Christian faith. It does not necessarily make one Christian more advanced or mature than another who wishes not to study the subject and it is not a “test” of faith. Usually, these teachings are introduced when the Christian student has familiarized himself or herself with the subject matter of “Christian ILuminosity”. They should watch the ILuminosity lectures I have posted on the “Nugget of Truth” site.

So let me give a basic introduction to true Christian Kabbalah, a basic outline of what it involves. I hope to be giving more talks soon and writing more articles on this important topic. So, we could say that Kabbalah helps us get a visual structure to work with in breaking down how God works within the realm of His creation [pleroma]. We learn some deep laws of God and how they affect our everyday lives. We can use these important teachings to better understand our world, both spiritually [super-materially] and physically [hard-matter].

All Humans live in the Fallen Matrix. This is the first and second heavens [Earth’s atmosphere & Outer-space]. These realms and all that is in them are infected with sin. Permeating all of heavens space is super-material. It is in this that God is everywhere present and in control through His uncreated energies. As Humans we do not have the faculties needed to properly perceive the heaven worlds and the 40 dimensions. Modern science is learning more about such dimensions. There may even be more than 40 dimensions but we believe in at least 40. We live in a huge universe which contains spaces within spaces.

All of us are a part of God’s cosmic creation, the great stream of life. As Humans our awareness is limited by our sense faculties. Our perception gets cluttered with confusing mind symbols and ideas. We must have a tabula rasa (clean slate) to start over. The proper programing is needed. The Divine Intelligence “download” from the Word of God must occur in the mind of the man who wishes to be saved. The “mind knots” must be untied to see clearly.

The basic geometric structure of Kabbalah is called “The Tree of Life”. It is made up of ten spheres (sefirot) in an orderly bundle somewhat shaped like a “tree”. The spheres are connected by twenty-two tubes or lines. These are called “the 22 paths of wisdom”. They may represent the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet (aleph-bet) showing that it is the “Word of God” which holds every “thing” together. The ten spheres may represent major attributes (relationship functions) of Divine Intelligence (God). (For more information about this click here.)

Through language we can form sentences and ideas, make sense out of what is sensed. It is very important to begin to understand the language of the Creator in order to function properly and uphold the correct perspective of our existence. God stresses the importance of communication. Through Jesus Christ we have the ultimate human connection to Divinity.

God says; “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6)

The Hebrew word “Kabbalah” means “that which is received”. In the most ancient civilizations of God’s people these teachings were handed down verbally – by word of mouth from teacher to student. Kabbalah teaches us that God interacts with Humanity through ten major manifestations. We could refer to these as “emanations”. By studying these emanations and their relationship with each other we can better understand God – true Intelligence.

All of these emanations proceed out of what we call super-material (“Spiritual” substance) through God’s uncreated energies. The first two heavens are made out of created-energy and created-matter. These two heavens are: First, Earth’s atmosphere (this also includes all the multiple atmospheres of all planets) and the “second heaven” being outer-space or the entire “cosmos”.

Many who are already familiar with some of the Ancient Antiochene Mysteries understand the Seven Heavens and that in the fifth, sixth, and seventh levels we are dealing with non-created space and non-created heavens. In what is known as the “8^th eternal” (Hidden 8^th heaven) we understand God as Ein Sof. This is God without boundaries, incomprehensible and even above super-material – here He is known as Ain. In ancient Kabbalah God as Ein Sof is “outside” or “above” the Ten Sefirot [God “outside” his own emanations]. All things come from Ein Sof (Ain Sof). All forms of created matter and uncreated material come from Ein Sof.

Just as we might judge the soul or spirit of a man by his actions, facial expressions, words, emotions, etc. so we can begin to understand God by learning the functions and activities of each sefirah [sphere]. These give us something visible and tangible to rap our hands around when understanding the Infinite All. God gives us His Holy Spirit to:

“…understand a proverb and a figure. The words of the wise and their riddles.” (Proverbs 1:5-7)

And God promises….

“The Secret of the LORD is for those who fear Him, and He will make them know His covenant.” (Psalm 25:14)

Let me now give a very basic description of what the Ten Sefirot represent. I would like to again stress the fact that true Christianity and true Kabbalah does not teach reincarnation or transmigration of the soul. Even early Platonic and Aristotelian counterparts believed in some type of resurrection, but not necessarily reincarnation. The teaching of reincarnation mixing with Kabbalah happened much latter and is considered a corruption, not a compliment.

It is the hope of the one teaching true Kabbalah that his student will come closer to God and begin to truly practice ethical behavior in this life. The teachings never become so “heavenly high” that they are “no earthly good”. The understanding of Kabbalah helps convey our original nature, before the “fall”. It also helps explain how we lost it.

The Ten Sefirot:

1-Keter: “Crown” – This is the sphere at the very top of the Kabbalistic Tree. This sefirah is called Ayin – “nothingness”. It is ultimately “undefinable beginnings”. It’s first sound is “aleph”, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. We could say that “something out of nothing” comes forth from here – ex nihilo.

2-Chakhmah: “Wisdom” – Represents an infinitesimal point from which every “thing” came (comes). This point remains singular and eternal. Its letter is “yod”. Yod is the smallest Hebrew letter and the first letter of God’s name – YHVH. This sphere is also known as yesh me-ayin, “being from nothingness.” This sphere also represents the “breath” (work of the Holy Spirit) of God. From this “breath” proceeds the 22 sacred letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

3-Binah: “Understanding” – Represents the beginning of “building” – contemplation. This sphere receives the “seed” of the second sefirah, Chakhmah, and gives birth to the next seven sefirot. We could say that from Keter comes the “spark” or Chakhmah which plants itself in the “womb” of Binah and from this womb comes what we would call “material creation”.

Note: Keter, Chakhmah, and Binah form what is known as the “supernal triad” – what many Christians associate with the blessed Trinity.

4-Chesed: “Grace” – Represents “undeserved kindness”. Known as the “right hand of God”. Also, agape love. This is the first manifestation from the “womb” (Binah) – the first emanation from God into the lower creation is Love. Angelic beings come from this sphere. This sephirah and the next two form what is called “The Creation Triad”.

5-Gevurah: “Judgment/correction” – Represents some constraint from too much Chesed, or “grace”. Known as the “left hand of God”. This sphere is associated with God’s power, His infinite strength.

6-Tiferet: “Compassion” – Represents the coming down of God in the Messiah. The creation triad has become corrupted by sin and the Messiah must enter the Fallen Matrix to deliver his children. Ultimately Tiferet is the key to joining all the spheres back properly in the Tree of Life – “the restoration of all things.”

7-Netzach: “Unrestrained Eternity” – Represents uncontrolled emotions. Sometimes this can help but many times it disrupts. It needs balance like all of the other spheres. It also contains the urge for betterment – to seek something better. Even in its goodness, without the balance of the other spheres, it does not yet understand its limitations.

8-Hod: “Majesty or Beauty” - Represents respect for mystery and hopefully learns to use Netzach (its emotions) properly for finding beauty in what it sees and does. It uses restraint and sometimes silence to find the balance. If it uses too much restraint it can learn from Netzach.

9-Yesod: “Foundation” – Represents the reconciliation of the sphere above it into a sure foundation. No extremes found here when balanced. To the Christian, Jesus Christ becomes our “sure foundation” upon which we allow the Holy Spirit to properly build our “tree”.

10-Malkut: “Kingdom” – Represents where our true home is. This sefirah is also known as She-khinah. To the Christian we find God’s “ecclesia” here – we find His church. We pray “thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Though we are in this “fallen kingdom” we are not “of” this fallen kingdom. Our kingdom is not “of this world”. Jesus came down “through the heavens” into our world to help, heal, love, and to save us.

This finishes my very simple explanation of a complex theology. We would certainly call the study of Ancient Antiochene Christian Kabbalah the “meat” of God’s word. I hope to be giving some lectures on this topic along with writing more articles soon. I hope this works as an introduction for our studies.

When Humanity was young it was normal to fear the mysterious energies of creation that were not understood. Superstitious traditions and beliefs resulted. This was part of our maturity process. As mankind matured, man still recognized the fact of supernatural morals and realities - that what he wished to become. Humans have always had the sense of morality; God has placed His ways in the heart of man.

Because our true Creator loves us, He has spoken to us through dispensations and ages of time. The Bible reveals this. Man has always had a partial insight of God. As Humanity became more intelligent God was able, and is able, to reveal more of Himself to us. By His grace and mercy, we have His revealed Word – we have the Holy Scriptures. A loving creator gave us His Word. There is effort, conflict and many struggles in the Christian life. God is maturing us – He is our Heavenly Father.

Please stay with us here at “The Shepherds Way” and the “Nugget of Truth”.

We are learning about true Antiochene Christian Kabbalah.

This is most certainly true.

Eric William King (November 21^st 2024)